Dirigible parachute.



tion` UNITED STATI@ iPATENT OFFICE.

. EDWARD S. JONES, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF T0 NICHOLAS TATE JONES, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

maremma nnacnn'rn.

Application tlledJune 1, 191B.

To all whom z't may concord citizenof the United States, residing. at

Mobile, in the countyof Mobile and State of Alabama, haveimjented eertain new. and useful vImprovements in Dn'lglble Parachutes,of wlnch the followlng 1s especifica This invention relates .to dirigible parte chutes. its, general object being to provide a parachute to which forward motion may he imparted under control of the person v using the same, to-thereby render it diossihle for aviators torselect their landin place when using@r the parachute, instead ol being subject to the dangers that arise from the uncontrolled descent of devices of this nature.

ln attainment of the aforesaid object I provii'le a parachute ot such a nature that it may be easily carried upon the airplane, will be held securely in proper position with respect to the said airplane during the time that the, aviator is t-aking'his position thereon, will 'be easily and quickly releasabley at'ter theaviatorhas firmly secured his footing, land hold thereon, 'will be capable of .'ln-'opulsion under control 'of the operator plane showing V'and will be capable of being steered bythe .operator so that a forward movement mayv be imparted to the paraclu'lte during its descent with the result thatthe aviator may a'void falling into tre-es, wires or in any other obstructions likely to prove danger ous to life or l'iinbl and whereby, when the airplane is being used for military purposes the' aviator may cause the parael-iute to'descend behind his own lines'rather than behind the lines of the enem Further advantages ofat iis invention' will he set .fortlrin the detailed 4'deser'ption' which now follows, l 2 r Figure 14 ijs' ajp'erspeetivefyiew' ofan arrsaid plane and take his positiony upon "the parachute.4

'Fig 2fis1a 4side elevation of the loaleif'por-` Figi 4 is an .Figf iijs a lView o'f a modified? forln of Specification of Letters Patent.

1e aviator about to leave4 Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Serial No. 237,762.

;l"ig. 7 is a vertical section illustrating the driving connection at the lower part of the parachute shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. S is a vertical', sectional view, illustrating the operating handles and driving connections through which the propeller is manually operated by the aviator and Fig. t) is a. detail view illustrating'the partsin a properly folded condition.

Referring to the drawing 5, designates an airplane of conventional construction and at any suitable point upon the airplane I provide space .hooks (i. in which the parachute may lie. in a substantially horizontal position. This parachute carries a canopy or top 7 adapted to open after the manner of an umbrella-and this canopy is carried byA a vertical standard' coinprising an upper part 8, and a lower part-` 9, the two being .connected by the ball bearingor swivel joint l0. This Apermits the lower part to turn with relation to the upper pa rt and thus the A steering may be ell'ected without the pedals hereinafter described.

The part 9, of the standard is hollow and carries a vertical shaft 11, that is provided with a bevel gear l2, at its upperend. This' bevel gear meshes with a corresponding gear 13. upon a transverse shaft. 1t, having 'operating handles 15.' at the opposite ends thereof, said handles being preferably spaced 180 degrees apart;

A- ear -wh l 16, v'mounted upon the lower end of the shaft '11', lnesheswith a ear 17, that is mountedupon 'a shaft. 18; T 1e `shaft 1181,1'isudi'sposed:horiontally in '.the base 19',

and said 'slraftltiarrie's a propeller 20 ait its fm-wardE nd.' iiltny desired ratio between the gears 1li-and:l lflinay be einployed'to secure any desired `speed of the propeller.

A platforn'iiQl, isle'arried by the base 19, and provides a Vrest. "and 'support for the feet ofth'e user'.""Idals'QQ, project through 21, and` lie in position"to' "bel enga edib'yth'e feet of the l 4- operator, enlarged sectional View of thef driving connection, tothe propeller.

. l uponl the' platform 21,' operates` the handlesl trated in Fig. 4.

l5, rotation will be imparted to the propeller 20. to thereby propel the parachute throu h the air-during its descent, and that. the rcetion ot' the movement thus impartedy `t0 the parachute may v rected by the manipulation of the rudder or vane A chain, cable or other flexible member 2T. is connected to .the airplane at 28, and carries at its lower end a. ringr 29, adapted to hook over a hook 30, that 1s mounted to turn in the standard 9. This hook is provided with an operating handle 31, and the standard t), is provided with a latch 32, to`

lie in the path of and lvnevent-accidental movement of the handle 31., until the aviator has secured a tirin footing upon the platform 21. and has properly adjusted holding straps 33, which passl about the operator and around the standard 9, but leave the hands ot' the aviator free to manipulate the, handle 15.

ln the torin of the invention illustrated in Figs. Si to 0. the upper part of the parachute is substantially the same as that hereinhetorc described and the saine reference characters have been applied. However in this t'orln of the invention the lower part ot' the parachute is made of two hollow .sections 34, and 35, that.- are hinged to the lower pa'rt ot' the standard 9, by hinges 36, and '37, The. hollow portion 34, carries -a shaft that is provided with al gear wheel Said gear wheel meshes with a gear .wheel 1G", that corresponds with the gear wheel 1G. in the form of the device illus- The forward-'end of the shaft. 3S. carries a propeller' 201, that corre! sponds to theY propeller 2O in Figs. l. and 2. vThe section 35, earriesa rudder 2G. l :y which the, parachute may he steered and this rudder is connected by cables l0 with pedals Awith respect, tothe standard 9. weightof the 23, 'l`]u-se'p alals are carried hy foot rests 11. said .foot-rests being,v connected to vokes .fl-Q which yokes embracethe sections t, an`d 35. When the foot-rests and ,yokes are drawn uljnvard'ly t0 theposition illustrated in Fig. the sectiol'is 34, and B5, are folded Chen 'the operator is brought upon-the foot-rests41'-..the yoltes actto swing thesections lto the position ,illustrated in Fig. 7` or iin o ther,\vol,'ds,i toa position where tl't'ey lie., 4in horizontal alincment1 with each other.

VUnder,modern aerial combat conditions it is frequently the case that air planes are setonfiro. Under such conditions thc aviator `m'nst either quickly leave the hlazi'n airplane by means of a })araehute,or fai withthe machine., tothe earth, as `the sustainingv planes are'. consumed.

The present invention renders it possible for the aviator to quickly position himself upon the parachute, release the saine and be determined and difall free of the burnin plan-e, and, by means' l5 of the propelling an'tgsteering mechmskism, herein Shown and described, return to his own lines in many instances, and avoid fall- .ing upon dangerous obstructions, in other instances.

Furthermore the construction shown and described renders it possible for an aviator to free himself from the danger of being overtaken and crushed by the fallingltrirplane, because with the sustaining lanesbf the latter consumed the'descent o .theJairplane' is substantially vertical. Consequen ly the provision of means to enabletlxe` y, tor to make a' forward or lateral pro ess will carry him out of the path of ytheftal-hng plane.. Two or more of the parachute's, may be carried when-desired. l

lVhilevthe elements shown and descr1bed-p. are Well adapted to serve thel purposes for which they are intended it is to be under- 85 stood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but tfllatyit includes within its purview any inefilnsm whereby a parachute may be manually pro? pclled hy. and 'steered under the control Iof 90 the user. It is also to be understoodth'at the parachute is not limited to use wyith '-i'i'- planes but is valuable for use with anyar-m. ship .or b 'a'lloo'n'ofany type whatsoever I Having described my invention Wha 9'5 claim fis: Y. "n

1. Thel combination with an airs `rifing-a na'irofvspaeed supporti'n 0`f-a parachute comprising-a folda'fle et. a :rigid stem. a foot-:rest at the `loi-vel" end of 0'( the stem, and a propelling means, the' whole adapted to lie in said su|'),porting elements, and a fielxible connecting elcment'hetween -the standard and the airship and connect-,cd with the standard and airshipat suoli point 101 `that when the paraelnite is released from the supporting elements the standard will swinel to substantially vertical position, to thereby permit the operator toi seeul'ela" footj ing'uponfthe footer-st. while-the' para'etutefis LID supported .-byfthe connectingelemeatt.' 'i 2. A parachute comprisnga made in two parts rotatable-withrros each other, a 'canopy carried 'by-"the uv r'it-'Sa'itlpartsy and apropelling -a means'carried bythe lower'of; sadtpal -A parachute .compri-sing a vertu l standard, a canopy carri-ed ther'el'ay, 'afb manually oran-'able .pia-13 ,Illing meafn's v actuating members of w ich are-oai'iiiejdf` the Staind-ard, a5 ruddercprried by vtlafabfa c andI foot operated means-forfconftrolli-ng t rudder, located n'ponthe base. 4. A parachute-ot the 'character leser comprisingn vertieal ;stan lard, a-e carried thereby, ia;s itbstantiall f4 horizontal base, arprepellerfa one'en'd-offthelmao.,` arf rudder; at. the. 'pposrte'enrl'et :the base; oper ating handles carried by the standard and connections between said handles and the propeller.

A structure as recited in clailn 4, wherein said connections comprise :i vertical shaft disposed within the standard a horizontal shaft disposed within the hase and bevel gear wheels connecting lsaid shafts.

6. A parachute of the character described comprising a vert'iral standard. a canopy varrivd ihrreliy. a hase lnadll in 'fo'ldahle sri:- liions, hinged lo ihr lower end ol said `standard, a propeller carried h v one of the sew tions and a rudder carried by the other of the Sections. y

T. A structure as reril'ed in claim f. (foniprising foot-rests and yolces carried by the 'foot-rests and embracing the sections for controlling the movement. of the saine.

H. A strnri'nrov as recited in claim T, (foniprising connections carried by said foot-rests and connected with the rudder for actuating the saine.

9. A parachute of the character described comprising a verticalstandard made in two sertions, rotatable with respect *.o each other, a foldnbie canopy carried by the uppermost; of said .src-tions operating handles carried hy the lower of .said sections, a substantially horizontal base made of oldable setions hinged fo the lower end of the standard, 'fr propeller carried by one of Said'sec'tions, a rudder carried by the other of Said Section5 and dririnlgV ronneetions between the p1'o peller and the operating handles.

ln testimoniY whereof I afiix my Si nature.

EDXVARD S. JO ES. Witnesses lV. I. Renners, Mam-mam* H. J ONES. 

